THE DIESEL Allroad is available with an automatic transmission only and for some diesels this would be a negative - but not the Allroad. The five-speed Tiptronic transmission works brilliantly to deliver the torque to the four-wheel driveline and bring the weighty wagon up to cruising speed with a minimum of effort. When the road or conditions require greater driver input, the transmission can be moved into sports mode or Tiptronic for manual gear selection. The Allroad also offers two buttons on the steering wheel for selecting gears and this can be used in sports or Tiptronic mode, making the options for driver participation more than adequate. The torque characteristics of Audi's turbo-diesel engine make it perfect for an intellegent auto, as the engine delivers maximum torque from just 1500rpm. The turbo boost means the revs and resultant torque comes on quickly and would find even the quickest gear-changer failing to keep the wagon moving at the brisk pace of the auto when Tiptronic function is used to snap it through the gears at peak torque. All four wheels are driven permanently, with a Torsen self-locking centre differential between the front and rear axles enabling up to two thirds of the engine's output to be diverted to one axle or the other. A lock-up clutch on fifth gear gives the transmission an economical final drive with good accelerator response and some engine braking.